Daily Yellowstone journal., 1887-01-11
SALARIES OF coNeRessMEN.
The Majority Of the Members Draw Their
Pay R-guiariy-Those Who DO Not

The Majority of the Members Draw Their
Pay Rsguiariy--Those Who DO Not.
There are some fifteen or twenty
members of the house of representatives
who do not draw their pay regularly
every month, but let it accumulate in
the hands Of the sergeant-at-arms, TO
whom they give orders on the United
States treasurer. The majority of the
members, however, draw their money
regularly, and in several instances there
are some who have overdrawn. This is
done at the risk of the sergeant at arms,
and the money advanced is that de-
posted with him to the credit of those
who have not drawn for several months.
There are number who do not draw
a cent from the beginning of a session
until its close, when they get it in a
lump, and during the recess have a
draft sent to them on the first Of each
month for their salary for the month
previous. There are some twenty-five
or thirty who draw quarterly or every
four or FIVE months. One or two take
it bat once a year, and several only
twice year. 1t is said that one mem
Der has not touched cent of his salary
as CONGRESSMAN for six months. II is
also said that the sergeant-at-arms is in
a hole to the tune of several hundred
dollars in accommodating another states.
man. Cooper of the Mount Vernon
district is one of those who do not
trouble the sergeant-at-arms very often,
but usually gets his money in the
shape Of draft for good large figure.
So far as other congressman are con-
cernedp the sergeantat-arms does not
keep on hand much cash belonging to
them, as they keep their accounts pretty
evenly balanced. The system of the
sergeantat- arms is that OF a regular
banking establishment, and a separate
account is kept with each member.
1t is said to be a remarkable fact thai
the ma jority of the members from south
of Mason and Dixon's line live up to their
salaries, and in many instances some OF
these get their pay discounted for sew
eral months in advance by the city
banks, or get the sergeant. alarms tc
arrange it for them. Usually thes'
transactions are made by that official
who advances the money. He claims
it is stated, that he gets the notes dis
counted by local brokers or bankers
The transactions vary in amounts from
8tuO ~ xf nnl mar vaar nna cnn1raaS
man is said to have got his salary ad
vanced for year. He had his life in
sured for the benefit of the party whC
arranged the transaction. The lattel
was thus protected in the event of th'
debtors death, as any balance due de
ceased congressman or any extra pa.
voted on his account is paid to his widow
or some other member OF his family.
When a congressman is hard up anC
wants to sell "his time he calls on tb,
sergeant-at-arms or some other persor
in position able 10 accommodate hin
usually the former-and executes hi
receipts on the United States treasurer
for the month that, If he lives, he woulC
be entitled to compensation as con
gresham, and makes them payable TO
the consecutive months covering tn,
time for which his wages are ad, anced
Then he is required by his benefactor, o
broker to take out short-time life in
surance policy, so that il he should il
the meantime be overtaken by the drea'
destroyer before the last receipt natures
the usurer is made safe by the insuranc
company. Generally, however. mum
Der of these who are hard up ge
their notes discounted through the ser
geant alarms. The latter claims, it !
said, that he gets them discounted in tn
city banks, the sergeant-at-arms beinI
the endorser, but the INDECENT states
man secures that official by having hi
life insured in his favor. These trans
actions usually take place prior TO
congressional election. II is said dun
ing former administrations Of the oilic
of sergeant at arms Of the house of REP
/ resentatives the discounts for loans O
this character largely exceeded the sal
airy of the sergeant-at-a arms Cor. Gin
cinnsti Enquirer.